Barbaric: The Golden Hero Review

Pinball meets skeletal warriors and RPG mechanics in this enjoyable hero-flinging title from Upopa. You take on the role of a barbarian badass and you do what barbarians do best: kill all the monsters. After a brief comic book style intro, you’re thrown straight into the action.

The core of Barbaric’s gameplay centers on a swipe and fling mechanic that serves to propel you through combat. Movement is smooth and fluid, but it’s much like pinball in that it’s not always predictable. You’re provided with an outline of the path your hero might take, but it doesn’t always work out for the best. That unpredictability is part of what makes bouncing from enemy to enemy so entertaining. Larger levels carry another form of unpredictability in that it’s not always possible to see where you’ll end up after a move. It never truly frustrated me, but it happened often enough to mention.

Although the early game is a breeze, later levels force you to think carefully about your movements. Levels contain plenty of walls and obstacles that you can use to create amusing combinations, but you don’t have unlimited time to execute them. Enemies slowly advance towards you as you decide where to move, and they take their own actions as you do. You’re free to charge straight at your enemies, but don’t be surprised if they smack you around in response.

You’re not screwed if you’re hit, though, as monsters and crates drop health frequently. Plus, you have access to three combat skills that can push you over the edge if you’re in a tight spot. The skills are about as basic as they come and offer only small bonuses - like temporary damage improvement or life steal - but they’re a welcome addition that help flesh out the experience.

Outside of combat, you have the ability to improve your character in typical RPG fashion. You can spend stat points, increase skill effectiveness, buy treasure chests with your hard-earned coins, and equip more powerful armor and weapons. There’s just enough depth to the system to make you look forward to finishing each level and spending a minute or two selecting upgrades.

Barbaric is a free game to play, but it includes a number of in-app purchases that help you power up your hero. Coins are abundant enough, but some players might be interested in purchasing crystals, the less common type of currency that’s used to buy rare chests. And, if you do decide to do that, you won’t have to deal with ads ever again.

Cute, cartoonish visuals and war-drum viking beats round out the Barbaric experience, and they fit mood of the game nicely. If you’re looking for a light-hearted and satisfying adventure with plenty of content, Barbaric is definitely worth your time.